For many patients, generics are an excellent solution because they are cheaper equivalents of original pharmaceuticals. However, not everyone trusts substitutes, even though they should contain the same active substance that is found in more expensive preparations. How do original drugs differ from generics in practice?
Pain relief in medicine
We want to live a long and healthy life. Contemporary medicine and the pharmaceutical industry meet this natural expectation. In medicine, the treatment of pain is a very important issue, because pain is the basic symptom of any disease. The effect of many years of very costly research is the acquisition of active substances that allow you to fight various diseases. Apart from original drugs, more and more generic drugs, i.e. cheaper drug substitutes.
Read more about pain management and its dangers: Self-healing pitfalls and the difference between painkillers
Many patients choose replacements for the original drugs because of the better price. It is also a common belief that original drug cost it follows that pharmaceutical companies want to earn from them, so there is no reason to overpay. However, not every potential patient is convinced of the effectiveness of the substitutes. Some people show limited confidence in generic drugs. This group is guided by the principle that health should not be saved and uses original preparations.
The difference between the original drug and a cheaper alternative
Both original drugs and generics should have the same drug substance. Different preparations, however, may vary by up to 20%. deviations from the original. The important point is that original drugs must be tested for efficacy and safety before being released for sale. In case of generic drugs it looks a bit different. If they meet the pharmacokinetic parameters that are strictly required, they are considered to be the same substance.
Original and generic drugs should not differ significantly in clinical practice. Despite the presence of the same active substance, original drugs and cheaper substitutes generally differ in the content of excipients, which should not exert their own pharmacological effect.
Swap when you can – learn about patient rights and the responsibilities of a pharmacist.